


Phoenix Investigations

by unbroken_halo



Series: PI Universe [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M, Snarry-A-Thon Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-03
Updated: 2012-11-03
Packaged: 2017-11-17 16:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/553831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unbroken_halo/pseuds/unbroken_halo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A threat from the past rears its head, prompting Harry and Severus to take action.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Phoenix Investigations

**Author's Note:**

> S-A-T '11 prompt#29. Fic is for the Snarry art "Noir"_odella_. Thanks to _odella_ for permission to write to her art. Enormous thanks to badgerlady for the red pen to my punctuation.

The fire in the hearth flares and I am startled out of my nap, feet falling off my desk as the rest of my body nearly tumbles out of my chair. I can hear the soft snickering from my partner and almost see the smirk on his face as I struggle to sit up.

"Are you going to just sit there watching me flail about or are you going to answer the Floo?" I snap as I set my feet on the floor.

Severus turns and looks at me and my entire body goes cold; then all at once, in the same instant it feels as though I am on fire. It's always been this way between us. Since the first time I saw him, there was a spark. 

The oft misquoted Muggle cliché goes, 'It's a thin line between love and hate,' and normally I'd have to agree with it, but when it comes to Severus, he takes the line, draws it in close, and then stamps all over, grinding it to dust as he sneers at the implication of there being something called "love" between us.

Severus Prince is my partner, yes, that much is true, and in all senses of the word, if you must know. But you couldn't drag that information from him with wild Thestrals. Severus is a private man, and I try to respect that; it's not something that is easy to do in our line of work, but then again perhaps it is because of our work that we have been able to maintain our partnership. He is the dark to my light and that balance is what makes us so good together. We are the best at what we do.

And what work is it, you ask? We are elite members of Her Majesty's Government. Magical agents drafted to handle the "special cases" no one else can even come close to solving. And we are hidden right out in plain sight as an everyday ordinary detective agency. Don't believe me? I wouldn't either, but let me try to convince you.

The papers are full of the unexplained, the strange and bizarre happenings, more and more often lately, yes? You know the eerie feeling you get just before you turn and look over your shoulder to find nothing there. The sensation which sends a shiver down your spine and makes you pull your coat around you just a bit tighter as you scurry home late in the evening hours. Yes, I knew you would.

That's us. We are out there, maintaining the secrecy and sanity of the humans, the normal folks, the Muggles. There's always a sceptic among the public, but then again there is always a believer hidden out there, too.

Witches and wizards, Muggles, what you are about to read is real. "Just the facts, ma'am," to borrow another misquoted American cliché. There'll be no need to change the names as one quick spell from Severus's wand will erase all knowledge from your memory.

As I said, he is my dark, and I am not afraid to use him when I have need. But back to our tale...

Severus's dark eyes glitter with some unspoken emotion, the only clue I ever receive that he is human, that there is some form of life in his immobile mask he shows to the world, and I sigh, knowing that once again he has won the unspoken contest.

I climb out of my chair and settle on my knees in front of the fire, murmuring the password before shoving my head inside the grate. "Phoenix Investigations: Potter, here, it's your Sickle."

The face that appears nearly takes my breath away, and I am thrown back into the past. Back to the days when our world was under the threat of exposure and tyranny. To when I was young and still had the blinders of innocence.

I lean back out of the fire to look at Severus. He eyes me, curiosity slipping through the cracks for a moment before perfect boredom settles on his chiselled features and he arches a brow at me. I sigh, again, shake my head and then turn to the client once more.

Something I haven't done for nearly ten years takes hold of me. I reach up and run a finger over the scar on my temple. A shudder takes hold of my body and it's all I can do not to pull myself from the fire and end the call. Somehow, I always wondered if this day would ever come, and now it appears it has.

Severus must know as well because I can feel the heat of his body blanketing my back.

The woman smiles grimly at me, and instantly I know what she is going to tell me.

"He's being released next week, Harry," Ginny's voice is soft but I can almost taste the fear in it through the Floo. It's so palpable Severus kneels beside me, joining me in the call. Something he almost never does.

"You have our undivided attention, Miss Weasley." Severus's smoky baritone is tenderer than I have ever heard it, but then again he has been known to turn on the charm to appease the clients.

I glance at Severus and shake my head. He knows Ginny wed Neville just after we left Hogwarts, but for some reason he insists on addressing her as such. She always grins and bears it, and I know it is for my sake alone, she hasn't tried to hex his ornery arse.

"Does Neville know, Gin?" I ask, already knowing the answer. Neville used to be an Auror before retiring to teach. 

Nodding, she filled me in. "He's gone to St. Mungo's to inquire about additional security for his mum and dad, then he is headed out to Lancashire to make certain Gran Longbottom is safe, as well."

"And the Burrow?"

"That's where I am right now. Mum's changing Flora, then we are going to see George and Angelina. I'm trying to keep her distracted." 

Looking up at Severus, I know that what I am about to ask of him is almost too much. However, he gives me a knowing smirk and nods to Ginny. "We shall see what actions we can assist in, Miss Weasley. Our contacts in the Ministry as well as those on Azkaban will be updated on the situation."

Turning back to the fire, I can see the tears forming in her eyes and know that unless I say something else I will have one unhinged and crying witch on my hands. I clear my throat. "Don't worry, love, I will make certain it is taken care of, personally."

Ginny sniffles just a bit and the relief is clear on her face, and I know I have done the right thing.

"T-thank you, Harry." She paused for a moment then meets Severus's eyes. "Thank you," she whispers again, and then is gone. 

I sit back on my haunches and look up at Severus once more, wondering if I truly have done the right thing as I see a haunted look pass over his face before his usual stern expression returns.

Offering my own thanks is pointless as he cuts me off, pushing himself to his feet. "The Dark Lord may be dead, Potter; however, if anyone could bring about another reign of terror it would be Lestrange."

I nod, wondering why we weren't informed of the parole hearing and I voice the sentiment. "Kingsley would have Owled if he'd known."

Severus hums and runs a finger over his chin, pulling out his desk chair and settles himself. "Perhaps. Since Dawlish was appointed Minister many... shall we say... questionable practices are once again flooding the Ministry."

He pauses and watches me as I toss a handful of powder into the fire. "I refuse to believe that this escaped Kingsley's notice. He's the bloody Director of the MLE, Severus. He would have called me."

"Suit yourself." Severus snorts and leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of his face and arching a brow. "Potter, consider the last case we recently closed. Do you not recall the underhanded dealings the Wizengamot engaged in just to hide the fact that once again they were breeding Dementors to guard Azkaban?"

Sighing, I nod, knowing he's correct. It galls me to admit it, dammit, but he is. The past memory comes to mind easily and I forget about calling Kingsley. For the moment, I also ignore Severus as I think about the entire nasty business.

In order to lower costs and save on manpower, the Wizengamot, in its infinite wisdom, decided to try using Dementors to guard Azkaban again. However, instead of placing them around the entire island, it was decided to only use a select few to police the most violent offenders. Only ten Dementors were supposed to have been magically altered and bred, with the traits to tether them to a specific area of the island.

The trials appeared to be going well until one spell went awry and, as the cliché goes, all hell broke loose. The Dementors overpowered their masters and drained them, then proceeded to drink their fill of prisoners until one Dementor discovered they also weren't confined to the island. They spread to the south and entered British air space to cause almost as much destruction as they had when Voldemort was alive.

Cleaning up after the escaped Dementors had been more than a nightmare; the devastation had been vast. With Severus and me lending aid, the rogue Dementors were eventually contained, but not without heavy destruction and loss of life. The spooks from the Unspeakable Division had managed to contain most of the magical damage; however, almost an entire town had to be Obliviated. The Ministry was funding the rebuilding throughout the island.

I can hear Severus's sigh and know that he, too, is remembering. It isn't any more pleasant a memory for either one of us than the thought of the Death Eaters reforming. 

The Floo flashes and startles me out of my reminiscing. It's Kingsley with the news and circumstances of Lestrange's release. The conversation is over quickly, and though it's a hard thing to hear I know there is little we can do to stop his release. However, something must be done. Protection of my friends is foremost on my mind but the snort behind me raises my ire.

I glare at Severus. "Do you ever get tired of always being right?"

Severus smirks and shakes his head. "No one has yet to prove me wrong, Potter." He stands and I am once again drawn to him, his presence. I know he will do everything he can to help, even if he's going to be a snarky bastard about it. "Perhaps this time, we can end the chaos before it starts."

Standing, I nod at him and reach for my cloak. He holds it steady as I slip my arms thorough. His fingers brush my neck, teasing and tangling in the ends of my hair for just a moment. A small tug and I am reassured we will do something and everything will be well. I give him a grin and gesture to the door. "After you, Agent Prince."

Severus rolls his eyes and I follow him out of our office.

~Fin~


End file.
